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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28459806">He Came Out as a Homosexual</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeavenlyMess/pseuds/HeavenlyMess'>HeavenlyMess</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Frank Iero and the Future Violents (Band), Frank Iero and the Patience, Gerard Way and the Hormones, LeATHERMØUTH, My Chemical Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas, Christmas Party, M/M, Office Party, Ugly Holiday Sweaters, Workplace Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:41:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,131</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28459806</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeavenlyMess/pseuds/HeavenlyMess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>my oneshot for the the Christmas exchange!<br/>Prompt: ugly Christmas sweater!</p><p> </p><p>*Frank works at an office for an advertising agency and he likes his boss, Mr. Way. So he tries to get his attention at the office Christmas party</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Frank Iero/Gerard Way</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Have Yourself A Merry Little Fic Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>He Came Out as a Homosexual</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharredLips/gifts">CharredLips</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Frank walks into office just minutes before nine, as usual, half awake and his shirt only half tucked in.</p><p>‘Good morning, Iero!’ Ray, one of the accountants, says as he walks by. Frank mumbles something that could be a greeting, but no one understands what he says.</p><p>He lets his messenger bag fall on the floor next to his desk as he gets in his cubicle, and just as he’s sitting down someone comes from behind. ‘GOOD MORNING, SWEETHEART!’</p><p>‘Jesus, Jamia!’ Frank says, almost jumping from his seat. ‘What the fuck?’</p><p>‘I’m sorry!’ the young woman says, wrapping him in a hug, just before handing him an expensive coffee.</p><p>‘You’re trying to bribe me with coffee? Really? You think I’m <em>that </em>cheap?’</p><p>She just gives him a look.</p><p>‘You’re right,’ Frank tells her after taking a sip. ‘You know the way to my heart.’ She kisses the corner of his mouth, and goes back to her cubicle, just as he sits down and turns on his computer.</p><p>‘Mr. Iero!’ a voice calls him. when he turns around, he sees his boss, Mr. Way, his freshly dyed orange hair standing out. He does love to be the center of attention.</p><p>Though he usually is in Frank’s eyes.</p><p>He nods, trying to hide his emotions, and turns to him. ‘Yes, sir?’</p><p>‘Just to let you know I expect those designs on my desk before you leave home today.’</p><p>‘Yes, sir.’ And then, he’s off.</p><p>Just like that.</p><p>As if nothing had ever happened between them.</p><p>Though Frank knows it was probably nothing for him.</p><p>It was just a drunken night a month or two ago. Everyone in the office went out for drinks, and no one expected Mr. Way to join them. He never socializes with them. He’s too pretentious. But he decided to be part of the team that day. And he drank a lot. And by the end of the night, he started flirting with Frank. And Frank listened to him rambling about Star Wars and comic books and how that made him want to be a comic book artist but somehow he ended up with an advertising company instead. Then, they were smoking outside, and then, making out in Gerard’s car. Frank woke up in Gerard’s bed, with him on his chest, only to realize that his innocent crush on his boss was definitely more than that.</p><p>But now, Gerard ignores him most of the time, and even gives him additional work sometimes. Frank’s just confused. He wasn’t expecting a relationship, or even a big revelation, but not to be treated like trash.</p><p>So, he just eats his pride, and goes back to the project he was working on.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The office Christmas party is only a couple days away, and everyone’s trying to finish their projects on time before the weekend. Especially Frank.</p><p>He knows there’s no way he’ll finish everything he was assigned before Friday, but he’ll still try, just to prove Gerard that he’s not playing games. He stayed up until three in the morning the night before and barely got any sleep, but he’s almost done.</p><p>‘You shouldn’t be overworking yourself for this asshole,’ Jamia reminds him when she finds him falling asleep on his desk.</p><p>‘I’m not.’</p><p>‘You think I don’t know you? You’ve had the biggest crush on him since forever. And you let him treat you like shit.’</p><p>‘I –’</p><p>‘Frank! Don’t think I don’t know he gives you twice as many projects, and while you are talented as fuck as a graphic designer, that doesn’t mean you have to do it all.’ Frank doesn’t have anything to say. He knows she’s right. She always is. What she doesn’t know is that it’s not just a crush and that they fucked not long ago. Frank could never tell her. ‘C’mon, I’ll help you.’ She takes one of the folders and heads back to her cubicle.</p><p>‘Just – don’t be too obvious, please. He’ll know.’</p><p>‘I don’t give a fuck.’</p><p>‘Thank you.’</p><p>By five, Jamia has already sent her the email with the file on it, and he just has to change the name so Gerard doesn’t find out. ‘You’re seriously an angel,’ Frank tells her as they head out.</p><p>‘No problem.’</p><p>‘I owe you. You wanna go for a drink or something?’</p><p>They go to a bar nearby, and drink beer after beer, while they complain about Gerard and the company and Jamia’s last boyfriend. ‘Fuck them,’ Frank says, clearly drunk. ‘Fuck everyone!’</p><p>‘Fuck everyone!’ Jamia yells and everyone around raised their glasses to that.</p><p>‘I just –,’ Frank starts, drunk as hell and mumbling through his words. ‘I want him to see me, you know? Even if he doesn’t like me, I want him to acknowledge my existence and not just think of me as a stupid graphic designer.’</p><p>Jamia giggles. ‘You’re not stupid!’</p><p>‘I definitely am.’</p><p>They go on about whether Frank is stupid or not, and Frank tries to argue that he doesn’t even know how to spell. ‘But you have a great heart,’ Jamia insists and they both laugh hysterically. Then, out of nowhere, Jamia gets awkward, and tries to get Frank’s attention, but he’s still too busy laughing his head off. She keeps elbowing him, and points at the door where Gerard is standing.</p><p>‘Shit!’ Frank whispers and tries to act normal. At least pretend he didn’t see him, and continue his conversation with Jamia. But then she gets up and goes to the restroom. He doesn’t even have a chance to stop her when he notices Gerard in front of him.</p><p>‘Hello – sorry to interrupt your date with Miss Nestor,’ he says.</p><p>‘No, we’re not on a date – wait, what?’</p><p>‘I’m not here to bother you,’ Gerard says with a smile, and Frank doesn’t know if he should trust him. ‘I came here with some friends. And saw that you were here, and just wanted to make sure you finished what you were supposed to.’ Really? That was it?</p><p>‘Yeah – I sent you the emails with all the files.’</p><p>‘I appreciate it. Keep enjoying your night.’</p><p>He’s just turning around to go back to his friends, when Frank stops him. ‘Wait! Just so you know, me and Jamia aren’t dating.’ He doesn’t know why he felt the need to tell him, but he just wants to be clear. ‘We’re just friends. I’m –’</p><p>‘I don’t know what you mean. Let’s just be professional, okay?’ And then he’s off to another table, and Frank is left by himself, all confused.</p><p>When Jamia is back, he looks up and asks, ‘You know how to knit?’</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>After hours of watching knitting tutorials on YouTube and trying by himself, he finally finished his masterpiece just in time for the Christmas party.</p><p>A white wool sweater with a snowflake pattern that he bought at Walmart, and he added the words <em>Ho Ho Homo</em>.</p><p>They’re a little crooked but the message is clear.</p><p>He doesn’t even feel like he’s coming out to his coworkers. Ray and Jamia already know, he had a thing with Bob a while ago, so he knows. And the rest don’t care, probably. He just needs to tell one specific person.</p><p>So he puts it on and fixes his hair before driving to the office.</p><p><em>Are you coming? </em>Jamia texts him as he’s pulling up the parking lot.</p><p>
  <em>Coming. </em>
</p><p>He didn’t expect to be the last one there, but now all eyes are on him as he walks in the lobby. He pretends he doesn’t notice and looks for Jamia. He finds her by the refreshment table, talking to Ray, so he walks up to them. ‘Oh, Frankie!’ Ray says, trying not to laugh at his outfit.</p><p>‘Nice, dude!’ Jamia adds with a smirk.</p><p>‘Wanted to make a statement or something?’ Ray asks.</p><p>‘Nah, I think everyone knows by now. Just thought it’d be funny.’</p><p>It’s an office party, so it’s obviously the most boring event in the history of the world.</p><p>They have a DJ playing the most horrible Christmas music mixes, and Frank feels like killing someone within the first hour. But at least, he has Jamia and Ray to keep him entertained, and they stay close to the counter where all the alcohol is, and spend the night talking shit about everyone.</p><p>Soon, Karen, the office manager, gets everyone’s attention for the Secret Santa exchange. Everyone seems just as excited as Frank, which isn’t much, but they all pretend. It turns out to be mostly coffee cups and things to decorate their desks, as usual. Frank gives Ray a guitar strap and a coffee mug that says Guitar God on it. And Bob walks to Frank to give him his gift, and a hug. ‘Merry Christmas,’ he says, and Frank feels weird because they haven’t really talked since they broke up, and that was a long time ago.</p><p>‘Merry Christmas.’ When he opens the gift, he finds a vintage Frankenstein mask, as well as a Misfits rare vinyl. ‘Thank you.’</p><p>The party goes on, and everyone keeps drinking and socialize among their little groups. Frank is already drunk as fuck, and he tries to look for Gerard, knowing well he never shows up at this kind of event. So all the effort he put on his sweater goes to shit.</p><p>Ray tries to distract him by taking him outside for a cigarette and asking him what kind of video game he should buy his kid. And when they walk back in the office, Frank sees him.</p><p>Gerard.</p><p>He’s talking to Karen and another man he’s never seen before.</p><p>And Frank has to control himself not to go and show him his sweater. Fuck him. He doesn’t know why he’s doing all of this if clearly Gerard doesn’t give a shit.</p><p>Jamia offers him another beer before he starts a scene, and tries to convince him to do karaoke with her. ‘C’mon,’ she says, ‘You sing better than me. I need you.’ She pulls him by the arm and hands him a microphone, while she looks for a song on the catalog. To go with the festivities, she chooses <em>All I Want for Christmas is You.</em></p><p>Frank is giggling the whole time, just enjoying the moment with his best friend, when he spots Gerard in the middle of the audience, watching them.</p><p>So Frank sings louder and with more intent, showing off his sweater.</p><p>
  <em>I just want you for my own</em>
  <em><br/>More than you could ever know<br/>Make my wish come true<br/>All I want for Christmas is you<br/>You, baby</em>
</p><p>In the meantime, Gerard watches him make a fool of himself.</p><p>And as if that’s not enough, when they’re done, Frank chooses another song.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I want to hold the hand inside you</em>
  <em><br/>I want to take the breath that's true<br/>I look to you and I see nothing<br/>I look to you to see the truth</em>
</p><p> </p><p>It’s not until he opens his eyes after the song ends, and Gerard is still there, seemingly unmoved, looking at him from the sea of people. ‘What else do you want me to say?’ Frank asks. ‘What do I need to do to prove you that I fucking like you?’</p><p>‘Frank – please, this is so unprofessional.’</p><p>‘I don’t care. And you know what? I quit!’ Just then, Frank jumps off stage, and walks to Gerard, pulling him for a wet kiss. ‘And I know you like me too. You said it that night. And you let me through that wall of yours. You let me see what’s really inside.’</p><p>‘I was drunk.’</p><p>‘Nah, I’ve seen you drunk before. You were just faking it. Just fucking say it.’</p><p>The silence that follows feels heavy, and Frank is shaking, not sure what to expect, all while everyone there is looking at them.</p><p>After the longest time, Gerard reaches for his hand. ‘Fine. I like you. I like you a lot. And it scares me. I’m finally doing fine all by myself, and I didn’t want to fall in love again and get my heart broken again. And I know you’re a great guy, but it’s still scary to feel so vulnerable.’ They’re not even aware of the everyone else, but Jamia notices it’s getting serious, so she leads everyone outside to give them some space. ‘I don’t want to get my heart broken again.’</p><p>‘I won’t. I promise.’ And then, Frank leans in and kisses him again, their tongues fighting for dominance while they gasp for air.</p><p>‘And I really think you’re a talented motherfucker and that’s why I asked you to do those projects. I believe in you. So it’s a shame you quit.’</p><p>‘I can take offers.’ They keep kissing, their hands all over each other.</p><p>‘First, let me take that ugly fucking sweater off.’</p>
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